Electric mail-carrier.



WITNESSES FM I F. E. PERKINS.

ELECTRIC MAIL CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. I917.

1,250,002, Patented Dec. 11,1917,

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

-ATTORNEY v F. E. PERKINS.

ELECTRIC MAIL CARRIER.

APPLICATION men APR. 11 1912.

1,250,002 I Patented Dec. 11, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

INVENTOR ATTORNEY enrrnn srarsrarnnr Orton FLOYD E. PERKINS, OF BAUDETTE,'MINNESOTA. i I

ELECTRIC MAIL-CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent; Patented Dec. 9 191-7;

Application fi1ed Apri111',1917. Seria1No.161,21.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FLOYD E. Pnn'm'Ns', a citizen of the United States,,residing at Baudette, in the county of Beltrami and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Electric Mail-Carriers, of which the followingjis a specification.

This invention pertains to improvements in aerial transportation means, and has particular reference to an aerial device for conveying mail. p

In carrying out this invention it is my purpose to provide a carrier which will expeditiously and economically convey mail matter and other articles from place to place. i

It is my further intention to embody in:

such a device features insuring adequate protection from weather and 'from intermeddling by unauthorized persons for the mechanism of the device and articles car ried thereby.

I also propose to provide m such a devlce a more etiicient combination and d sposition of parts, and an improved means for controlling the action of the device.

\Vith these and other objects in view the inven'tion'consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification and claims below.

In the" drawings, v

Figure 1 shows a carrier inposition on the track. a

Fig. 2 is'a side elevation of portions of the carrier with the casing removed.

Fig. 3 shows details of themechanism.

Fig. 4 is another view of the carrier. p

Referring to the drawings more particularly, 1 represents thecarrier which "is adapted for selfpropulsion upon atrack rail 2 maintained by suitable supporting strue tures 3 at an elevation above the earths surface. The trackrail 2 is similar to those commonly used for such purposes with the exception that the upper or wheel engaging portion of the rail isso formed as to constitute an inverted V when viewed in section. Adjacent or over the rail 2 andextending in parallelism therewith is a suitable. conductor or trolley wire 4 for conveying electric current to the carrier and which is supported by but insulated from areuate armsfl properly secured to a vertical extension of the supporting structures 3 carrying the track rail. Thesupportingstructuresare further As viewed exteriorly; the." earrierHcom-f prises a casing 7 having'a downwardlyentended portion 8 which mayjbe curved 1111 der to partially embrace the track. r'ailf2,

the track way maybe a k and is provided at the'lower extremitywitlr i:

a means foriattaching a load to'the carrier. This meansconsists in the present instance of a hook 9 having attachedthereto a link connected at the lower endito an air and water-tight receptacle 6 wherein mail and other objects may be conveniently placed. 'llhe receptacle 6 is preferably constructed of sheet metal and is provided .with a cover for convenient access to the interior and with a lock 6 of any approved designffor securing the cover in. closed position when. desired. Q As viewed exteriorly, the casefof the carrier has upon onevside a protrusion 10 comprising a separately formed receptacle of inet-al aifixed to the main body of the case in lany acceptable manner, as for' instance,' by lugs on the'receptaele 6, formed with openings for registration "with similar.ope11 ings formed in the casingfor thepafssageiof'v retaining bolts, whereby the receptacle be drawn into close contact with the casing to form anair and water-tightjoint there with. a, a 4 Within the hollowformedin the casing 7 are alined wheels 12 keyed-or otherwise will properly fastened to shafts "13 extending transversely of the carrier, properly "jourf naled inthe casing, and provided wit'hfprolongationsiextending through the upper -re-[ ceptacle afiixed to the side of the casing. f

The horizontal portion of the casing adapt: ed to be located immediately above the track rail is formed'with elongated openings; and

the'w'heels are of such size. andsofldisposed T p in the casmgthat a circumferent al portion of each wheel will extend throughjlthe respective opening for engagementwith the track rail. f To prevent lateral displacement of the'wheels from thetrack rail If fo'rm in tending longitudinally thereof and properly journaled 'in bearings 'whiclimay be attached either to the receptacle or to the main casing is a drive shaft 11 terminating at each end in juxtaposition to the;respective shaft 13 of one of the wheels 12.

A conical clutch member 15 is mounted upon each extremity of the drive shaft for"" engagement with a similar :elutch member.

15 keyed or otherwise secured to the respective wheel shaft 13 for rotation of the wheel.

"When desired, I may afiiX the latter clutch member directly to the hub of a wheel '12 in which instance a suitable opening is formed in the .casing .to permit engagement with the -corresponding clutch member 15 of the drive shaft. A ey is inserted in each drive shaft for engagement with a slot formed interiorly of the clutch member 15', thereby insuring rotation of the clutch member with the shaft, and at the same time permitting a sliding movement longitudinally of the shaft, whereby the respective clutches may be engaged and disengaged. For effecting such engagement and disengagement, a suitable hand lever 16' is provided attached to a pivotal support 16 afiixed interiorl'y to the case 7, and extending outwardly through an elongated opening 7 formed in "the case. A portion of the hand lever adjacent the pivotal support 16 is expanded laterally in the plane of movement of the lever to constitutea plate formed with openings 17 on either side of the median line of the lever. These openings are adapted for engagement by the ex tremities oflinks 18, whereby one of the clutch members 1'5 willbe engaged forY'r0-' tation of the respective wheel in one'positionof the hand lever and the other clutch member will be engaged for reverse rotation of the respective wheel 12in the other position-of the hand .lever, while in the neutral or intermediateposition, both clutch members will be disengaged.

Inthe present instance, the outer extremity of each link is provided with a means for actuating the respective clutch member 15,

comprising an annular portion 19 constitut ing the extremity'of each link, embracing a cylindrical prolongation 20 of the clutch member concentrically of the drive shaft, and adapted to engage suitable shoulders formed on said cylindr cal extension.

For propulsion of the carrier, a power device is ,provided, here shown as an electric motor21 mounted withinthe casing 7. Motor-21 isdisposed for rotation of the armature 22 in a plane parallel w th the path of. movement of the carrier, the armature thereby constitu-tingia gyroscop c element adapted to maintain the equilibrium of the carrier. A suitable means is provided for transferring power from the armature shaft 23 of the motor to the drive shaft 14, comprising in this instance a beveled gear 25 shaft 26 provided at one extremity with a beveled ear en a in the motor ear 25. b b 2: :3

and at the other extremity with a beveled :gear engaging the drive shaft gear 24; Counter-shaft 26 is journaled in a supporting 'memb'er '24, the extremities of which constitute journals for the drive shaft, and which is properly secured to the wall of the case.

For supplying current to the motor '21 from the trolley wire =1 a trolley arm '28 is provided having at one extremity a pe ripheral'ly grooved roller 29 for engaging the trolley wire, and at the other extremity aflixed to but insulated from casing 7. This trolley arm is provided toward the point of attachment withan equivalent of a universal joint 30, and embracing this joint, and attached at either side of the joint to adjacent portions of the arm is a spring31. By this construction, the roller is maintained inch-- gagement with the wire and at the same time is permitted free lateral and vertical movement to compensate for slight variations'in the relative position ofthe wire and the track rail.

The trolley arm 28 is further provided with a suitable conductor connected to one terminal of the motor and the other terminal of the motor is grounded on to case 7, track rail 2 being-used-in this instance as a return conductor.

A switch may be. inserted at any convenient point .in the motor circuit to interrupt the latter when desirable, and a rheo stat or similar device may be" provided "for convenience in stopping and starting the motor.

While I "have here shown'and described a preferred form of my invention, for purposes of "illustration, such embodiment is not to be interpreted as in any way limiting the spirit and scope of 'the 'inv ention, such limitation being confined to 'that'indicated in the accompanying claims.

'1. In a carrier, a "motor, a drive shaft, connecting means between said motor and said'd'rive'shaft, a -wheel 'a'c'l jacen t each extremity of said shaft, a gear on each wheel, a gear nanny 'mountedon each end of said shaft, and means for simultaneously niov' ing one of 'said gears on said shaft into engagement with the gear on a respective wheel and moving the other gear on the shaft out of engagement with the gear on the respective'wheel; saidgears on the shaftarranged for 'reverse'ly rotating the respective wheel's. i

2. In a carrier, a motor, a. shaft adapted to be rotated by said motor, a wheel adjacent each end of said shaft, means on one end of said shaft for rotating the corresponding wheel, means on the other end of said shaft for reversely rotating "the other wheel, a

pivoted lever having lateral extensions, and

links between said extensions and said rotating means, said links and said lever adapted to render operative one rotating means in one position of the lever, and to render operative the other rotating means in the other position of the lever, and further adapted to render inoperative both rotating means in a third position of the lever.

3. A carrier driving mechanism comprising a drive shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a wheel adjacent each end of said shaft, a clutch element on each wheel, a

' clutch element slidably mounted on each end oted lever having lateral extensions, and link means connecting an outer portion of each extension with one of said clutch elements on the shaft, said link means and lateral extensions so arranged that in a movement of the lever to engage a clutch element on the shaft With a clutch element on a wheel the corresponding link will move toward a position of alinement with the pivoted end of the lever and the'particular clutch element on the shaft.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FLOYD, E. PERKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

